OUR JOURNEY
DJANGO GELATO
Django Gelato opened in May 2005 on historic Chiou Street in Syros, where Greece’s first open market once thrived.
In the early years, we made artificial gelato of “good quality,” but Konstantinos, then a summer jobber, grew uneasy serving chemicals to customers.
By 2013, he shifted to “gelato artigianale naturale” using real fruit and nuts, though still relying on some industrial ingredients. The response was immediate: people lined up, and the journey toward a purer gelato began through experimentations.
In 2017, Django moved to its current tiny, 20sqm shop with a big glass window. From day one, Konstantinos made a clear decision: no industrial ingredients—just pure gelato.
He created the first completely open gelato kitchen in Greece, visible even outside of the store from the big glass window.
THE TURNING POINT
In 2013, a father visited Django with his two young daughters to enjoy some gelato.
After they finished, he turned to me and said:
“We only eat gelato from your place now. Everything else is full of chemicals.”
That moment hit me hard. I had unknowingly served products that, while common in the industry, didn’t align with the trust my customers placed in me—especially when it came to their children.
It was a wake-up call. From that day forward, I committed to find a way to create real gelato that is truly pure.
Today, my gelato is pure!
Konstantinos Karakatsanis
FIRST STEPS
Konstantinos had no idea how tough the challenge would be when he set out solo to create real gelato. He only knew from historical references that real gelato in its old form was made with milk, eggs and sugar. The first year was rough—bad textures, strange smells—but he didn’t give up. During the winters, he immersed himself in food science, seeking information from chefs, pastry experts, and anyone who would share knowledge, with very little success.
By 2018, the gelato improved, and small lines began forming. A year later, it became a true product—with big crowds and one clear message: “Open a store in Athens!”
In 2021, Django Gelato Athens opened. Since then, Konstantinos has trained over 20 people and continues to experiment, refine, and explore the craft.And the best part? We’re having a great time.—The Django Crew